Machine for flocking



Jan. 16, 1940. R. E. FOGG 7 2,187,617

MACHINE FOR FLOCKING Filed Segt. 50, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTO 77342? BY u" 6 HI:-

ATTORN EY Jan. 16,1940; R. E. FOGG MACHINE FOR FLOCKING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. so, 1936 Jan. 16, 1940. 5 F066 2,187,617

MACHINE FOR FLOCKING Filed Sept. 30, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A'II'TORNEY Jan. 16, 1940. g, F 2,187,617

MACHINE FOR FLOCKING I Filed Sept. 30, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1940.

R. E. FOGG MACHINEFOR FLOCKING Filed Sept. 50, 1936 VENTOR 12,441; BY P: ,1!

ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 16, 1940 MACHINE FOR FLOORING mm n. Foss, Lynn, Mass. Application September so, 1936, Serial No. 103,321

' 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to the art of flocking .for use in conjunction with the mechanism of my invention.

flocking adhesive treated portions of paper, fabric or other backing material and provides novel machines whereby large areas of such backing 6 material may readily flocked in whole or in portions to form design with a minimum of time and efiort.

Flocking is the ornamentation of fabric, paperor other material by causing to adhere thereto, in closely adjacent vertical position, short rayon, wool, cotton or other fibres, known as flock. The flock is anchored .to the backing material by means of a suitable adhesive and is driven into the adhesive, in vertical position, by rapidly vi.- brating the backing material during the flocking operation.

Heretofor'e, flocking has usually been accomplished in the following manner. Adhesive was applied to one surface of the backing through so a stencil, a handful of flock was dropped on the adhesivetreated surface and the backing was held with its other surface in contact with a rapidly rotating hexagonal bar. In this manner, so much of the backing as overlay the bar was caused to vibrate, and the backing was moved to and fro over the bar until the entire surface had been suihciently vibrated to accomplish the flocking.

The above described practiceof flocking is subso ject to the following and other limitations and defects. An operator can flock but one backing at a time, and t rea of that backing effectively vibrated, andv'thereby flocked, at one time is small. The practice istime consuming and requires skilled operators. Only flexible backing can be successfully flocked and considerable quantities of flock are lost during the operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flocking machine having a novel vibrating device with which a number of backings or a single backing of relatively large area can be uniformly vibrated, and thereby flocked, at one time, and

wherewith both flexible and inflexible backings may be eifectively flocked. Other objects of my invention are to supply novel means for eifectively securingthebackings to the vibrator during the flockng and to provide mechanism by which flock may be automatically supplied to the backings during the flocking and in which fiock'in excess of that taken up by' the adhesive treated backing portions is automatically retained in the flock supply system. A still further object of my in- 56 vention is the provision of. novel methods of the a set-up justable vertically by screws l3 to which they are a;

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I shall now describe my invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is a side view of the upper portion of a vibrator table of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the vibrator table portion shown in Fig. 1; 10

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section, showing flock supplying mechanism of my'invention in conjunction with two vibrator tables; Fig. 4 is an end view at the right hand end of the machine shown in Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section-through the right hand end of the flock box, trough and vibrator plate shown in section at the right in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the under surface of Fig. 7 is' a plan view of the upper surface of the tray;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the top of the vibrator plate;

Fig. 9 is a section at one end of 'the'vibrator 86 plate with the set-up and tray assembled thereon;

Fig. 10 shows'a modified top plate adapted to hold solid objects. i i

In the vibrator table shown in Fig; 1, an open framework l which may be of cast iron is cushioned in rubber supports 2 secured to a suitable base 3 (Fig. 3). Supports 2 serve to absorb vibration which may be imparted to frame i by the vibrator mechanism. A plate 4, which may also 35 be of cast iron, is secured to the top of frame I by rubber supports 5. To the upper surface of plate 4 is secured, as by bolts 6, .the bases 1 of electro-magnetic vibrators 8.

Each of the electro-magnetic vibrators shown 4,0 in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a coil 9 secured to base 1 and an armature l0 supported over coil 9 by rubber bridges ll bolted at the ends to base I and supported centrally by rubber cylinders l2, ad-

attached. Screws l3 are of sufhcient length to extend through threaded openings in plates 1 and 4. Coil 9 is energized through a rectifier (not shown) connected to an electric current source. As the current makes in coil 9 armature I0 is u drawn down, compressing rubber bridges II and l2, and when the current breaks the armature x. is forced upward by compressed supports II and II. On a sixty-cycle current, armature Ill will thus vibrate sixty times per second which, in a 5 so located as to permit theadhesive treated portions of backings 2lto be exposed when set-up stroke is approximately twice the length of that of armature I0. I have shown two vibrators operating in unison on a single plate but obviously the number of vibrators employed may be varied,

depending on the size of the vibrating plate and of the vibrator.

To hold the backings securely on vibrating plate I4 during the flocking, I preferably employ a vacuum system designed to operate through the plate [4. For this purpose, plate [4, as shown in Fig. 9, is'o'f hollow construction comprising a bottom plate [6, preferably of aluminum or other light-weight metal, and a topplate ll, united through gaskets IE to provide cavities I9 in the interior. Top plate H, which is preferably made of Bakelite, contains a number of small perforations '20 (Fig. .8) which are less than a tenth'of' an inch in diameter. A large number or all of these perforations should be arranged in lines located according to the shape and number of backings to be placed over plate I'I, so that they will be between, and ,not directly under, the backings. Fig. '8 shows an arrangement of perforations 20 suitable where twenty small rectangular backings are to be flocked with the machine at one time. The upper surface of plate I! is provided with a flat rubber and is removably secured thereon during the flocking. Tray 22 has perforations 23 of somewhat larger diameter than perforations 20 in plate I! and arranged in the same manner. The backings to be flocked are placed on tray 22 in such manner that a considerable number of per-' forations' 23 are exposed, and tray 22 is then centered on top plate 11.

To complete one end of the vacuum system for securing the backings during. vibration, I provide a cover plate, or set-up 24 (Fig. 6) of cardboard or other light-weight material, approximately the size and shape of top plate 20 and provided with a depending rim 25 of halfround rubber, which may have a radius slightly greater than the thickness of tray 22. Rim 25 is of such dimensions that it rests on rim 2| of top plate I! and surrounds tray 22 when setup 24 is centered over top plate I1. Set'up 24 is provided with apertures 26-of such size and 24 is centeredover'fllled tray 22. The'edges of apertures 26 are also provided with a depending rim of half-round rubber 28 of slightly smaller radius thanv rim 25.

In use, set-up 24 is placed over tray 22, with rim 25 resting on rim 2| and with rims ,28 restapertures 20 and 23, and may be drawn firmly against plate I! and backings 21 by exhausting I the air from the cavities 19 in the plate l4. For this purpose I provide a vacuum pump 29 (Fig. 4) communicating with the interior of plate l4 through tube 30, which is secured as by clamp 58 over a stub pipe 59 opening into the hollow central portion of plate l4. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, tube 30 communicates with cleaner tank 31, and is provided with a T valve 32, which may be adjusted alternately to open tube 30 to vacuum connection and close it to atmosphere or to close it to vacuum connection and open it to atmosphere, thus affording convenient means for applying suction to and releasing it from set-up 24. Cleaner tank 3| communicates with auxiliary tank 36 through a tube 33 and is provided with a fine mesh screen 34 to prevent any flock which may get into the vacuum system above it from reaching vacuum pump 29. Tank 3| is provided with an air tight removable head 35 to permit access to the screen 34 for periodic removal of accumulated flock. Auxiliary tank 36 communicates with pump 29 through tube 51 and serves to build up volume to take care of any leakage of air at the set-up.

In some cases'it may be possible to omit the set-upand tray from the vacuum holding system, aswhere but a single backing, of suflicient size to cover all the perforations in plate I1, is flocked at a time. If such' backing is of relatively air tight material, suh as paper or heavy fabric, it may itself act as a top seal for and be held by the vacuum system. Ordinarily, however, as where a number of small cards are flocked in'one operation; or the backing material is folded presenting a loose upper surface, it is essential to use a set-up.

In case several vibrator tables are employed in one machine, the tubes 30 may conveniently be connected to a single} cleaner'tank and thus to a single vacuum pump, as shown'in Fig. 3.

The above described vacuum holding system is designed for use where relatively thin, flat backings, such as greeting cards, are to be flocked with my machine.

backings to the plate, such, for example, as a set-up held by ordinary vise clamps at the edges of the plate, I have found the vacuum system described more satisfactory, particularly where a number of small backings of this type are to be flocked at one time. Where objects such, for example, as a cylinder or ball, are to be flocked with my machine, the vacuum system may be dispensed with and suitable holding means such as vise clamps provided on the top surface of plate I 4, which then, of course, need not be hollow; or, if desired, such clamping means may be employed in conjunction with the vacuum system; by substituting for set-up 24 and tray 22 in the system as described, a solid cover plate havingits top surface equipped with clamps suitable for holding objects of that type. I have illustrated such a modification of my invention in Fig. 10 in which 30. is a plate, which may be directly connected to a vibrator B or substituted for set-up 24 and 'tray 22 as above described.

and GI are adjustable vise clamps secured to plate. 60 and suitable for holding solid objects 21a.

The device for automatically applying flock to the vibrating backings is shown in Figs. 3-5: In the drawings the device is shown in conjunction withtwo vibrator tables, but it should be understood that it is equally applicable to use While 'I have tried means other than the vacuum system for securing such with more than this number, or only one table. Uprights 31 are rigidly connected to base 3, and are provided at the top withflanges 38 to which are rigidly secured crossbars 39. The frames of the vibrator tables are attached to base 3 between uprights 31. To the upper surface of crossbars 39 are secured, in vertical position, strips 46, which may be of wood or metal, and which form a rectangular trough, open at the top and bottom. Uprights 31 are of such height that vibrating plates l4 of the vibrator tables extend into, but not entirely through, the enclosed by strips 40.

The inner surfaces of the two strips 40 which cross the vibrator tables are provided near the top with tracks 4|. Cross strips 42 and 43 are secured at their ends to the track carrying strips 40, and are located one at each end of the vi brating plates M of the vibrator tables. The top surfaces of the inner cross strips 42 are flush with the top of track 4|. The two end cross strips 43 have the inner portions of their top surface flush with the top of track 4|, but the outer ends are raised above that level to provide stops 44. The edges of each vibrating plate I4 are connected by leather strips 45 to the adjacent inner surfaces of strips 40, 42 and 43.

Flock distributing box 46 is rectangular in shape and is adapted to fit within the trough formed by the strips 40 and to slide on track 4|. Box 46 has an opening at the top for the reception of flock and is provided at each end with an inner wall 47 forming compartments 48, open at the bottom; Compartments 4B are of such width that each is closed by the top surface of a cross piece 42 or 43 when one end of box 46 abuts a stop 44. A flock distributing screen 49, preferably of wire and with meshes which may range from 40 to 100 per square inch, extends across the inner opening of box 46, between compartments 48. Box 46 is open at the top between compartments 48.

Flock storage hopper 50 is provided with a base outlet 5| which is positioned above the top of box 46 and approximately midway of the path of box 46 along track 4|. Outlet 5| has a valve 52 which may be opened to permit flock to pass to screen 49 as the open top of box 46 passes beneath outlet 5|.

Each compartment 48 of box 46 is provided with a flexible tube 53 which communicates at one end with a compartment 48 and at the other end with a blower 54, in such manner that blower 54 exerts suction through tubes 53 and compar ments 48. As box 46 moves across a vibrating plate the suction in one of the compartments 48 draws up unused flock beneath it and transmits it to blower '54 by which it is returned, through a pipe 55 to hopper 50. An exhaust bag 56 in the top of hopper 50 permits the air .from

blower 54 to escape, leaving the .fiock which it carries in hopper 5!]. Flock may conveniently be supplied to hopper 50 by removing an end of one of the tubes 53 from box 46 and placing it in proximity to a supply of flock while operating blower 54, or. if desired, a suitable supply door may be provided in hopper 50.

When box 46 abuts against a stop 44 the,

mouths of suction compartments 48 are closed by strips 42 and 43 and the movement of air created by the vibration of plate I4 and the leather strips 45 sifts the flock down through screen 49 onto set-up 24 and the adhesive treated portions of backings 21, which portions are then flocked by the vibration of plate 4.

space In operating the machine, a tray 22 is filled with backings to which a suitable adhesive has been applied in the portions where flocking is desired, the backings being arranged on tray 22 in the manner previously described. The filled tray is placed on top plate I! of vibrator plate I4, a set-up 24 is located thereover and plate |4 is opened to the vacuum system by adjustment of the T valve 32. Box 46 is then moved along track 4| until it abuts against a stop 44, flock being supplied to screen 49 through valve 82 as,

blower 54 and returned to hopper 50, as previously explained. Plate I4 is then closed to vacuum and opened to atmosphere by adjustment of T valve 32, set-up 24 and tray 22 are removed from the machine and the flocked backings may then be racked.

Box 46 may be moved back and forth along track 4| by hand or. if desired, suitable mechanism may readily be supplied for the purpose. In case but one vibrator table is used in connection with my flock supplying apparatus, it is necessary, of course, to provide but one suction compartment 48, located at that end of box 46 which crosses back and forth over the vibrator plate I4.

With the machines and methods of my invention it is now possible to flock large areas of backing, such as twenty 4 by 5 inch greeting cards, in one operation consuming less time than is required to flock a small fraction of such area. such as one 4 by 5 inch card, with methods and machines heretofore available. Since the flocking is entirely automatic, operation of the machine does not require skilled labor, while a uniform and higher quality of flocking is produced than was possible in previous practice. Flock losses are materially reduced and the flocking of inflexible backings may be successfully accomplished.

While the flock supplying mechanism described facilitates and effects-desirable economies in the use of the vibrating flocking tables of my inven-f tion, its use is not essential and may, if desired, be dispensed with. In such case, the vibrator and vacuum system for locking the backings thereto may be used in the manner previously de-E scribed. the flock being supplied thereto by hand or in other convenient manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A vibrator table for flocking, comprising a frame, a hollow, flat top'plate resiliently supported by the frame, means on the'frame to vibrate said plate rapidly vertically, apertures in the upper surface of the plate and communicating with the cavity therein, a set-up adapted to fit on the to surface of the plate and over material to be flocked placed on the plate, said setup, in conjunction with said material sealing the top of the plate but exposing the material areas to be flocked. and means to create vacuum in the .plate under the set-up.

frame, a hollow, flat top plate resiliently supported by the frame, means on the frame to vibrate said plate rapidly vertically, apertures in the upper surface of the plate and communicating with the cavity therein, and means to remove air from said hollow plate, whereby to adhere to the top surface of said plate material to be flocked by the vibration of the plate.

3. A vibrator table for flocking comprising a frame, a hollow flat top plate resiliently supported by the frame, means on the frame to vibrate said plate rapidly vertically, apertures in the upper surface of said plate and communicating with the cavity therein, a set-up adapted to flt on the top surface of the plate and over material to be flocked thereon, said set-up, in conjunction with said material, sealing the top of the plate but exposing the material areas to be flocked, a vacuum pump, and a flexible tube connecting the cavity in said plate with an inlet to said pump.

4. A vibrator table for flocking comprising a frame, a hollow flat top plate resiliently supported by the frame, means on the frame to vibrate said plate rapidly vertically, apertures in the upper surface of said plate and communicating with the cavity therein, a set-up adapted to flt on the top surfacev of the plate and over material to be flocked thereon, said set-up, in conjunction with said material, sealing the top of the .plate but exposing the material areas to be flocked, a vacuum pump, a flexible tube connecting the cavity in the plate with an inlet to said pump, and a valve for opening said tube alternately to vacuum pump connection and to atmosphere.

5. A machine for flocking comprising a vibrator table having a horizontally supported plate, means for vibrating said plate vertically, means for removably securing material to be flocked on the plate while exposing adhesive containing areas of said material, a trough supported over brator table having .ahorizontally supported plate, means for vibrating said plate vertically, means for removably securing material to be flocked on said plate while exposing adhesive containing areas of said material, a trough supported over the table and surrounding the plate, cross strips in the trough adjacent the ends of the plate, flexible strips connecting the plate to the trough and cross pieces, a box slidably mounted in said trough; a screen in said box, means for supplying flock to the screen, and an open- "ing in the box, under the screen, to permit flock to sift through the screen onto the plate when the box is moved into position thereover.

7. A machine for flocking comprising a vibrator table having a horizontally supported plate,

- means for vibrating said plate vertically, means for-removably securing material to be flocked on said plate while exposing adhesive contain: ing areas of the material, a trough supported over the table and surrounding said plate, cross strips in the trough adjacent the ends of said plate,. flexible strips connecting said plate to the trough and cross pieces, a box slidably mounted in the trough, a screen in said box, means for supplying flock to said screen, an opening in the box, under the screen, to permit flock to sift through the screen onto the plate, and suction means, operating through an end of the box, for removing unused flock from the plate.

8. A machine for flocking comprising a vibrator table having a horizontally supported plate, means for vibrating said plate vertically, means for removably securing material to be flocked on said plate while exposing adhesive containing areas of the material, a trough supported over the table and surrounding said plate, cross strips in the trough adjacent the ends of said plate, flexible strips connecting said plate to the trough and cross pieces, a box slidably mounted in the trough, a screen in said box, means for supplying flock to said screen, an opening in the box, under the screen, to permit flock to sift through the screen onto the plate, a suction chamber in the box having an opening toward said plate, means to create a suction in the chamber and means to close said opening in th chamber when the box is centered over the plate.

9. A machine for flocking comprising a vibrator table having a horizontally supported plate, means for vibrating said plate vertically,

means for removably securing material to be flocked on said plate while exposing adhesive containing areas of the material, a, trough supported over the table and surrounding said plate,'

cross strips in the trough adjacent the ends of said plate, flexible strips connecting said plate to the trough and cross pieces, a box slidably mounted in the trough, a screen in said box, a

flock containing hopper having an outlet accessible the top of the screen, an opening in the box, under the screen, to permit flock to sift through the screen onto the plate, and suction means, having an end provided onthe box, for removing'unused flock from the plate and returning it to the hopper.

10. Amachine for flocking comprising a plurality of vibrator tables each having a horizontally supported plate, means for vibrating said plate vertically, means for removably securing material to be flocked on each of said plates while exposing adhesive containing areas of the material, a trough supported over the tables and surrounding the plates, cross strips in the trough adjacent the ends of the plates, flexible strips connecting the plates to the trough and cross pieces, a box slidably mounted in the trough and movable over the plates, a screen in said box, a flock containing hopper having an outlet accessible the top of the screen, an opening in the box, under the screen, to permit flock to sift through the screen onto any one of the plates when the box is moved to position thereover, a suction chamber at each end of the box having an opening toward the plates, said open- "ings in' the chambers closed by the cross pieces when the box is in position over any one of the plates, and means to create suction in saidcham- ,bers for removing. unused flock from the plates and returning it to the hopper.

y 11. In apparatus for coating an adhesive treated sheet material with particles, an electro-magnetic vibrator, a resilient support on the armature of said vibrator, a plate mountedon said support, means for removably securing a sheet material tightly on said plate, and means for continuously showering. the particleson the material on said plate while said plate is vibrated.

, ROBERT E. FOGG. 

